Kyle Long Drops Hint That His "Retirement" Might Not Be Permanent

Kyle Long announced on Twitter recently that he would be stepping away from football starting in 2021 after seven seasons with the Chicago Bears. It was a sad moment. Long is only 31-years old, which is young for offensive linemen to retire. However, a rampant string of injuries dating back to 2016 have sapped much of his capability as a blocker. It seems he came to a realization that putting a cap on his NFL career was the right decision.

NFL Network insider Ian Rapaport invited the three-time Pro Bowler to talk on his podcast "Rapsheet + Friends." Obviously the first thing they talked about was Long's retirement. However, the guards seemed to bristle a little bit at the idea of calling this decision him retiring. He made it seem rather clear that he was stepping away from football, but had no plans to turn in those retirement papers just yet. Is it a sign that he might consider a return down the line?

"It's nice to be able to have a break. And I keep hearing the word retirement and the air quotations 'retirement' and what that entails. I think I'm more just on hiatus, trying to figure out what's next for me and what's right for me and my family. It's been a fun process with football. I was blessed to play seven (years) and...maybe three and a half of the seven realistically. Now I'm done and can heal up and figure out what the hell is next for me."

Kyle Long may not have liked going out as he did

It's important to remember that Long is a competitor. He wants to win and succeed at everything he does. So it must've been incredibly hard for him to reach this decision. Instead of going out on his terms, he was forced to bow to the reality of his situation. One where his body just hasn't been 100%. Not being able to at least finish a full season and maybe help his team get one more crack at the playoffs had to be a major disappointment.

This might be why he's leaving the door open for a return. He's only 31 and no doubt will keep himself in shape. If the Bears were to suffer some injury issues at guard next season, it wouldn't be a stretch for them to consider reaching out to him in an emergency move. It wouldn't be the first time players have done this after stepping away from the game. Something to keep in mind going forward.